By IANS,
Dharamsala : China has to address the discontent prevailing in Tibet, a minister in the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA) has said.
“The Chinese government has to address the problem of Tibet as Tibetans inside Tibet have been showing strong discontentment with its policies,” said a statement Tuesday quoting Dicki Chhoyang, minister for Information and International Relations with the Central Tibetan Administration.
In an interview with Canada’s CTV Television Network last week, Chhoyang said: “Over the last few decades, we have seen very harsh policies in the form of political repression, cultural assimilation, economic marginalisation and environmental destruction.”
On Tibet’s unique culture and religion, Chhoyang said: “I would say definitely that Tibetan culture is at the risk of disappearing and it’s not an exaggeration.”
The massive influx of Chinese people into Tibetan areas and marginalisation of the Tibetan language put their culture at risk, she said.
“The Tibetan issue will not go away and it has to be addressed. The Chinese authorities have the incredible opportunity to resolve the issue of Tibet when they have His Holiness the Dalai Lama who commands such moral authority,” she said.
The Dalai Lama along with many of his supporters fled Tibet and took refuge in India when Chinese troops moved in and took control of Lhasa in 1959. India is home to around 100,000 Tibetans.